Drier



Nov. 23, 1954 w. L. KAUFFMAN 11." 2,695,162

DRIER Filed Nov. 10, 1952 FIG] -FIG. 2

United States Patent DRIER Walter L. Kauttman II, Erie, Pa., assignor to Lovell Manufacturing Company, Erie, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application November 10, 1952, Serial No. 319,674

3 Claims. (Cl. 259-89) This invention is a drum construction for laundry machines such as tumbler type clothes dryers and the like.

In the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 is an end view of a drum, Fig. 2 is a side view, Fig. 3 is a perspective of one of the drum baffles, Fig. 4 is a fragmentary end view showing the manner of attaching the baffles to the drum headers, Fig. 5 is a section of line 55 of Fig. l and Fig. 6 is a developed view of the blank from which the drum baffles are made.

The drum has headers 1 and 2, the header 1 being fixed to the drive shaft 4 and the header 2 being provided with a central opening 3 through which clothes are loaded and unloaded. Each of the headers has an outwardly extending peripheral flange 5 around which is wrapped a perforated wrap-around sheet 6 which forms the outer wall of the drum. The wrap-around sheet is usually welded to the flanges 5. The parts so far described are or may be of common construction.

At angularly spaced points around the periphery of the drum the headers 1 and 2 are provided with embossings 7 to receive and locate the ends of baffles 8 which extend axially along the inner periphery of the drum and serve to lift the clothes as the drum is rotated on its horizontal axes and produce the familiar tumbling action. As shown more clearly in Fig. 3, the baffles are of generally angular cross section, the side walls 9 converging toward apexes 10 which are directed inwardly when the baffles are assembled in the drum. Each of the side walls 9 has stiffening flanges 11 at each end and stiffening flanges 12 at the edges adjacent the inner periphery of the drum. The stiffening flanges 11 and 12 are inwardly directed so that only the smooth outer surface of the battle is exposed to the interior of the drum. As is apparent from the sectional view, Fig. 5, the end flanges 11 rest adjacent the inner surfaces of the embossings 7 and the edge flanges 12 rest against the inner periphery of the wrap-around sheet 6. In substantially direct continuation of the edge flanges 12 the battles are provided with tabs 13 which overlie the header flanges 5 when the baflles are dropped in place. The header flanges 5 are depressed as indicated at 14 in Fig. 4 so that the tabs 13 do not project beyond the outside diameter of the header flanges 5.

In the assembly of the drum, the headers 1 and 2 are suitably located in a holding fixture and the wrap-around sheet 6 is spot welded at one end to the header flanges. The sheet 6 can then be Wrapped around the header flanges and progressively welded thereto as the wrapping proceeds. The baffles 8 can be dropped in place in the embossings 7 and will be supported in position by the tabs 13 which overlie the depressed portions 14 of the header flanges. As the wrap-around sheet is wrapped over the tabs 13 the tabs can be welded to the header flanges by the same welds 15 which secure the wraparound sheet.

The blank from which the baffles 8 are formed is shown in Fig. 6, the fold lines being indicated by dotted lines and the parts being designated by the reference 2,695,162 Patented Nov. 23, 1954 numerals used on the completed baffle. The baflle is fabricated from a rectangular sheet of metal. The tabs 13 which help locate and secure the baffle to the drum headers are extensions of the edge stiffening flanges 12 and do not require any extra material. In the forming operation the edge flanges are bent along dotted lines 17 and the same bending operation which forms the edge flanges properly locates the tabs 13. The end stiffening flanges 11 are formed by folding along dotted lines 18 at each end of the blank. The cut-out section 19 at the center of each end of the blank provides the necessary relief so that wrinkling is prevented.

At convenient locations one or more of the drum bafiies can be provided with cut-out sections extending through the apex 10 and down both side Walls 9 to provide an access opening 21 normally closed by a removable cover 22 of generally angular cross section telescoped over the baflie and secured and located by screws 23. The cover 22 has an apex 24 conforming to the baffle apex 1t) and sides 25 conforming to and straddling the baffle sides 9.

When the cover is removed, the entire center section of the baifle is open and provides access to the interior usual drum enclosing casing through an opening 26 between the spaced ends 27 of the Wrap-around sheet. The cover is very easy to replace since it is guided into place by the sides of the baffle which are inherently rigid particularly when assembled into the drum. The cover itself accordingly does not have to be rigid since it nests over and is secured to a rigid baffle What is claimed as new is:

1. In a laundry machine, a cylindrical clothes receiving drum having end headers with peripheral flanges, axially extending baflles between the headers extending radially inward from the header flanges, tabs on the baffles overlying the header flanges, and a wrap-around sheet extending between headers having its edges wrapped over the tabs and around and fixed to the flanges.

2. Ina laundry machine, a cylindrical clothes receiving drum having end headers with peripheral flanges, sheet metal bafiles extending axially between the headers, said baflies being of generally angular cross section with the apexes directed inward and having axially extending tabs overlying the header flanges, the headers being embossed to receive and locate the baflles, and peripheral drum walls extending between the headers and over the baffle tabs and the header flanges and fixed to the flanges.

3. In a laundry machine, a clothes receiving drum having a cylindrical perforate peripheral wall extending between end headers, an axially extending baflie of generally angular cross section, said baffle having spaced sides with edges extending along the inner periphery of the cylindrical wall and the sides merging into an apex radially inward from the cylindrical wall, the bafiie sides and apex being cut away to provide an access opening through the baffle apex to the space between the baffle side walls, an opening in the cylindrical wall located between the sides of the baffle and registering with the bafiie opening, and a removable cover of generally angular cross section telescoped over the baflie, saidcover having sides straddling theside walls of the baflle and the sides and apex of the cover conforming to the sides and apex of the bafiie.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,293,570 Stevens Feb. 4, 1919 2,097,124 Kelsey Oct. 26, 1937 2,480,929 Hyman Sept. 6, 1949 

